Nine communities have been selected as finalists for the 2014/15 Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grants by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Selected from a pool of 33 applicants, the finalists are:
· Atlanta Housing Authority/city of Atlanta;
· Mayor and City Council of Baltimore;
· Boston Housing Authority/city of Boston;
· Housing Authority of the City of Camden/city of Camden, N.J.;
· Housing Authority of Kansas City/city of Kansas City, Mo.;
· Memphis Housing Authority/city of Memphis, Tenn.;
· City of Milwaukee/Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee;
· King County Housing Authority/Renton Housing Authority and city of Renton, Wash.; and
· Housing Authority of the County of Sacramento/city of Sacramento, Calif.
Following on the heels of HOPE VI, the Choice Neighborhoods program aims to address struggling neighborhoods with distressed public or HUD-assisted housing through a comprehensive approach to neighborhood transformation.
Approximately $76 million is available to be awarded. Individual grants of up to $30 million will be awarded. Being selected a finalist does not mean that the community will receive a grant award.
The nine finalists have completed a comprehensive local planning process and developed a Transformation Plan to redevelop their target neighborhoods. In the coming weeks, HUD teams will visit the targeted housing authorities and neighborhoods to meet with the applicants and partners to get a clear understanding of their individual Transformation Plans.
HUD anticipates announcing awards in September.
